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Every College Needs A Before I Die Wall: Candy Chang Profiled In HuffPo

"Every single college campus across the world can benefit from a 'Before I Die' wall." Candy Chang, the public space artist, college speaker, and TED Fellow, recently received a rave review for her community art project in a new blog entry at The Huffington Post. Since Chang first started the project, the walls have now popped up in over 30 countries in more than 10 different languages. The idea behind the initiative was to provide members of the community with a forum to remember their dreams—and to share them with others. Something that Stephanie Beach of The Huffington Post says is especially important for college students.

"College students spend so much time being college students that sometimes it seems as though that is the sole factor that defines you," Beach writes. "In the blur of finding the time to finish your 10-page psychology paper, prepare for your politics midterm, and complete your organic chemistry lab, it is easy to forget about what you want most out of life." She says that the walls bring students together to revel in their dreams and those of others around them—reinforcing a sense of community and showcasing how similar we all are.

Improving public spaces is a driving force behind much of Chang's work. "With more ways to share our hopes, fears, and stories in public space," she says in the article, "the people around us can not only help us make better places, they can help us lead better lives." When she presents her projects and ideas for designing public spaces on stage, she speaks with passion and optimism about how simple objects can transform our communities. Whether its in a keynote, her Before I Die initiative, or her newest endeavor, Neighborland.com, Chang helps us rediscover what we want out of life—and how our collective wisdom can help us achieve it.